


A shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn

by Peaches_and_Lilies



Category: WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Au of sorts, Complacency, Daddy Drew but in a wholesome way, F/M, Marriage, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26492983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peaches_and_Lilies/pseuds/Peaches_and_Lilies
Summary: “I remember when you first told me you loved me. Do you?”
Relationships: Drew McIntyre/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	1. I couldn't utter my love when it counted

**Author's Note:**

> I repurposed an old story of mine cause it felt like it fit... So here you go!

_ “I remember when you first told me you loved me.” She whispered, feeling him stir behind her. She never turned to face him in their bed. Long ago she stopped wishing he would wrap his arms around her to comfort her— to ease the pain in her heart. “Do you?” _

_ She waited with baited breath for his answer. Anything. Any sign that he still loved her. That she wasn’t an idiot for staying and fighting for what they had left. _

_ “No.” _

_ That night she stopped fighting. She stopped making it work between the two of them, stopped asking him if he was free so they could go out by themselves. She stopped trying to kill herself with heartache for a man who had fallen out of love with her. _

_ By the end of the week she had lost reason to stay. So, she walked out the door— _

_ And he never came after her. _

* * *

The airport was crowded— it always was but today it was overly so. She’d heard from a group of people as she passed by that some show was in town for the night, a wrestling show. Given her curiosity, she would have gone to check it out herself so she would know which places to avoid in case she ran into anyone she knew. But it was swept out of her mind.

Because she was on a different mission that day.

She had someone special to see.

Dragging her luggage behind her, she weaved her way through the crowds of photographers and fans. There were young women wielding large signs that really should have been banned at a place like this. The pointed edges could bring an accident upon anyone.

She didn’t have time to read the signs either, she was already in danger of being recognized with such a large crowd. She pulled her scarf over her head and made sure her sunglasses were secure over her face. She thought a few people here and there would glance at her but quickly brushed it off as a figment of her imagination.

She was close to where she was told to meet them, so close . But then suddenly the crowd moved, and she was swept in the wave, pushing her roughly to the front line. A place where she shouldn’t be and didn’t want to be.

Life had other plans that day.

She bumped into someone hard and the next thing she knew she was falling back. Gasping, she closed her eyes and braced for impact with the ground.

But it never came.

“Y/N?”  A deep and breathless voice spoke from above her.

Her heart  stuttered; her breathing stopped as she stared up at the man who had saved her from falling.

She knew that face. She had spent what felt like countless hours in the night watching that face as he slept, oblivious to the world and her hurting. That face which once lit up with such joy when he woke in the morning— that once lit up with such pride and love when she walked down the aisle that it brought her to tears.

She knew that face, because once upon a time she loved the person attached to it with all her heart and let herself become a shadow of herself just to stay with him, hoping he would save her. And he never did.

Because this person that saved her from getting a concussion… This was her ex-husband.

* * *

At 33 years old, Drew McIntyre was a professional wrestler. He had travelled all over the world performing in front of the largest crowds and most famous arenas. At 33 he was part of the largest travelling entertainment company in the world. At 33 he was also a divorcee.

When he was 25 years  old, he had married the love of his life after 2 years of being together. Then at 27 years old she walked out the door, and 3 months later, divorce papers were mailed to him.

The next few months were spent searching for her, asking questions to himself, getting drunk out of his mind, and grieving because of his mistakes. It took one of his best friends punching the drunkenness out of him to get a grip on himself. And if that didn’t sober him up, the fact that it was Heath—who was usually so good-natured and even tempered, who did the punching, definitely woke him up.

He sobered up the next day, went back to work, and hired a few private investigators to search for his wife. Yes, she was still his wife. Because he never did sign those papers.

After a few months of failed searching he gave up. Because he knew that he had fucked up their marriage with his indifference. This was  his fault. She became miserable because of  him .

He had gotten complacent in their relationship. Thinking that, since she loved him, she would understand and would stay. Be with him when he was being difficult. But how could she understand when he never told her? He had forgotten about how things needed to be spelled out for her as well. He had gotten selfish thinking that she would always be there.

He knew things got too much for her, but she never said either. But he should have known back then, after all she told him once that he knew her best of all.

The day she walked out the door he was too shocked to go after her. And then he thought that she would come home soon, that she was just having a tantrum and then he would take her out for dinner and everything would be okay.

She never came home.

And it was all his fault.

He signed the papers as his form of apology. He was setting her free.

And 5 years later he lived with that heart ache, burying it deep down in his being and then dug it up at night when he was alone in bed. The right side of the bed where she used to lie was cold, and even the memories of her could not warm it.

If he could rewind time and go back to those moments that he would ignore her, when he would stay in the late at arenas or gyms instead of going home to spend some time with his wife, he would go back and beat himself up for being an asshole. If he could go back and tell her how much he did love her, that he wanted to try again. If he could go back and hold her in his arms, he would never let her go.

But then 5 years later here he was. Standing in the middle of the airport with the love of his life in his arms.

He was never going to let her go.

Until he realized that they were in the middle of the airport, surrounded by people and cameras.

He cleared his throat and helped her stand up straight, reluctantly removing his hands from her. He felt his heart sink when she took a step back from him, bowing her head so her eyes wouldn’t meet his.

At 31 years of age she was as beautiful as the day he first met her at a diner. She was still the love of his life.

Making up his mind Drew turned to Sheamus who was trailing after him, quietly telling him that he had somewhere to be and would catch up later. Someone he needed to talk to. He didn’t wait for his friend to protest before he took Y/N’s arm and dragged her away from the crowd, letting the security guards keep the people away as they walked off.

* * *

She didn’t know what possessed her to allow him to drag her off like that. Was she mad?! This was her ex-husband for god’s sake! She divorced him!

So, what in the world was she doing letting him drag her towards the parking lot?!

Gasping, she wrenched her wrist from him with all her strength, determined to go back where she came from. She had someone waiting for her after all. She started to walk away until someone gripped her arm. She tried to shrug off the hand only to fail.

“Y/N.” His voice still sent shivers down her spine. “Please it’s been so long. Let’s talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about.” She spoke, surprised at how hard her voice sounded. How unforgiving it felt to her own ears. “You’ve never been one for much words  Drew .” Just saying his name caused her knees to weaken.

“I am now.” He murmured, and she felt him step closer to her, his breath now brushing the hairs at the back of her head. “Let’s go somewhere to talk. My treat.”

“I have somewhere to be.” She answered stiffly. “People to meet.”

She couldn’t let him see. Not after all this time. Not after what happened between them. She had to leave quickly.

“Can’t you re-schedule?” He walked around so he was facing her, using a hand to tilt her stubborn chin up so she would meet his gaze. “If I don’t take this chance you might disappear on me again.” His tone held sadness in it, and fear.

“Drew I really have to go.” She stepped back once more, eyes scanning the crowd warily. They weren’t looking at them but she had to be wary, because there were some things he shouldn’t see. Things he shouldn’t know. “I’ll just find you okay?”

“I don’t believe that.” He sighed, stepping towards her and chuckling when she stepped back. “How about I just go with you? I can wait till you finish your appointment.”

“No!” She shouted, shaking her head furiously. “You can’t!”

A raised eyebrow was her answer. “It’s not like you have anything to hide from me.” He narrowed his eyes, stepping towards her again so her chest brushed against the front of his shirt, eyes scanning up and down. “Do you?”

She was still so easy to read to him. She was always such a bad liar, especially when it came to him. Now his curiosity burned. What was she hiding that she didn’t want him to see? To know?

“MAMA!”

Drew felt her stiffen before him, he felt the blood drain from his face when he heard thundering footsteps racing towards them. The next thing he knew a small form launched itself onto Y/N and it clung to her when she caught it in her arms.

It was a little girl.

“Mama! Izzy found you!” The little girl,  Izzyshe said her name was. “Mama, Izzy missed you lots!”

He watched as Y/N nodded mutely, avoiding his eyes but he could see the guilt written on her face. His thoughts raced a mile a second.

What the hell? Whose kid was this? Was she married? When did she get married? When did she get pregnant? Who got her pregnant???  Whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck ?!

“Mama who is this?” He gasped when the child turned in her mother’s arms, looking to him when her mother didn’t answer. “Hello mister! Is mister mama’s friend?”

He couldn’t reply. He stared slack-jawed at the child before him, his heart squeezing painfully in his chest as everything began to make sense. He felt like he was going to faint.

Because looking at the little girl’s face now, there was no doubt he knew who her father was.

**_ Because his daughter had his eyes and nose. _ **


	2. remember me love when I'm reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When it’s nights like this.” She never turned to look up at him, still staring out of the windows. “Will you remember me?”

_ “Will you remember me?” She whispered as she laid on the couch, head settled on his lap as they watched the snow drift down to the earth. The television was closed and the curtains pulled open, the little tree in the corner was lit up in lights. _

_ But everything was so still and so quiet. But she was warm and happy because his fingers were running through her hair, calming her; soothing the ever-growing ache in her being. This was such a rare moment these past months. He barely touched her anymore and she had missed it. She had missed him. _

_ “What do you mean?” His deep voice felt like a brush of feathers against skin. It was soft, and it made her feel tingly. _

_ “When it’s nights like this.” She never turned to look up at him, still staring out of the windows. “Will you remember me?” _

_ His fingers stopped running through her hair. She waited and waited, and she could feel her heart fall when it seemed like he would never answer. But then the brush of the feather was back again, melding into the long shadows of the living room and the cold glow of artificial lights. _

_ “No.” Was his reply. She stayed silent, closing her eyes tightly, praying that She would not cry. It was Christmas, she shouldn’t be crying. “I don’t need to.” _

_ Her eyes snapped open, and she began to turn her head but stopped when his fingers resumed their coming. And so, she waited once more. _

_ “I don’t need to because you’re here. You’re not going anywhere.” _

_ She felt a small smile grace her lips. She closed her eyes and let a tear soak the fabric of his lounge pants, wondering if he could feel it. _

_ Maybe for just tonight she could forgive him. Just tonight, she could still pretend he loved her. _

_ “Yeah.” _

* * *

It all happened so fast. Like a flurry of wind, rushing to sweep the leaves from the ground and drift them off somewhere else.

Drew felt like the leaves.

One moment he was standing in the airport, staring at his ex-wife and the child in her arms.  _ Their child _ , he thought. The next thing he knew he had driven them to her new house in Orlando, near the place where Cesaro actually lived. Y/N’s mother was at the airport when he saw Izzy—  _ Isobel _ , his ex-mother-in-law quietly supplied— for the first time and insisted that she would get a cab because they needed to talk alone. It was time.

So there Drew was, 33 years old, standing in the entrance hall of his ex-wife’s house watching her help take off Izzy’s coat and shoes.

She looked back at him, remembering that he was actually still there and sighed before turning back to her daughter. “ Izzy , honey how about you go to your playroom okay? Mama needs to talk to her friend.”

Izzy whined, tugging at her mother’s sleeve which just made Y/N laugh. A laugh which was once caused by him. A laugh he hadn’t heard in such a long time. “Come on I’ll even put on The Incredibles on the TV for you.” She faced  Drew; hands settled on top of Izzy’s shoulders. “You might as well come in. The living room is just through here, I’ll be with you in a moment.”

He watched as she led their daughter ( _ Their _ daughter! He still couldn’t believe it!) through the hall and into a room. He stood there until  Izzy disappeared through the door— but not before waving at him and giving him such a big smile that it made his heart ache and eyes mist over with tears.

_ Fuck, this was all so messed up. _

Removing his shoes at the foyer, he made his way to the living room, studying the pictures on top of the mantle above an electronic fireplace. He smiled a bit when he saw a picture of Y/N and  Izzy at a beach, both had wide smiles and matching sun dresses, the sun shining down on them as the waves rolled behind them. But the photo didn’t feel right.

He picked it up to study it closer. But then realized there was nothing wrong. There was only something missing.

_ Him. _

He wondered how old his daughter was in this photograph. She looked smaller here, her hair was shorter than it was now. How old was she now? How much of her life did he miss?

His emotions were all a mess. He felt so much. He felt everything.

“She was 3 years old in that one. She’s turning 5 this September.”

He whirled around, photo still in hand to find that Y/N was now standing by the couch, arms crossed over her chest defensively. As if she was waiting for him to lash out at her.

And then all his emotions fixed themselves. His mind focused and he could pin point exactly what he felt and who it was directed to.

Anger. At her for keeping a secret from him. Keeping their own daughter, a secret from him! And also anger at himself for not hiring more investigators in the past.

Happiness, because his daughter and the love of his life were just in arms reach. He had a family with her even if it was broken up at the moment.

Confusion. Confusion at their situation because he didn’t understand why she would keep something like this from him for so long when he deserved to know! It was his right to know!

“Why?” He croaked, searching her eyes for answers. Maybe he was wrong about still being able to read her because at that moment her expression was so closed off.

“How about we sit down and then I’ll talk?” She offered, moving to sit at an armchair when he moved to sit on the couch. “How have you been?”

He could hear the nervousness in her tone and offered her a shaky smile. He was surprised he still could after everything that’s happened this day. “I’m okay, I think. After everything I’m still standing. You?”

“I’m fine.” She nodded, running a trembling hand through her hair. “I think after everything I’ve done pretty well for myself and  Izzy . Don’t you think?”

He didn’t answer, just stared at her intensely. Stared at her for so long that she started to squirm. “I know you deserve an explanation.”

“That’s good.” He said a little bit too coldly, and he regretted his tone when he saw her flinch. “You talk and I’ll listen and wait for you to finish. Why don’t you start about where you went after that night?”

She took a deep breath, leaning back slightly in her seat. “ _ That _ night… That night I took a cab to Mom’s house. After I told her what happened she took me in. She never asked any questions but I think she was hoping I would go back to our place. I think she sensed that I wanted to go back at the time.”

“Why didn’t you?” He shut his mouth when she sent him an incredulous look.

“I stayed there with Mom after I left and the first month of it was the worst. Because I  _ missed _ you. I missed you  _ so much _ it was hard to breathe.” After all the years it all came crashing down, and the memories and emotions swept over her like a tidal wave.

Her hands clenched into the fabric of her black slacks. She swallowed the tears as she continued to speak. “I wanted to come back so many times. I probably could have because I still had the key to the apartment but I knew in myself that I couldn’t. That there was nothing left there for me. Nothing left to fight for.” She pretended not to see the hurt flash in his eyes.

“And when the reality of what I had done set in, I crashed harder than ever.” Her voice was starting to get hoarse from fighting the tears. “It was a crash where I wondered what had gone wrong. Where I started to blame myself for how things turned out between us. Had I done something to him? Was I not enough? If I was better at everything would this not have happened?”

The words tumbled from her lips. The old doubts and self-blame returned in a hot flash, searing themselves into her memory. “I was miserable. I wanted to fall into a hole and never get back up. I never wanted to get out of bed. Mom had to drag me out sometimes. I became such a burden to her in those weeks.” Thinking back on it now she still felt that stab of guilt for how she treated her mother.

She brushed away the traitorous tears that had slipped past her eyelids and watched as  Drew ’s hand twitch as if to reach out for her but then he pulled back. She was glad that he did. Because if he touched her at that moment, her fraying thread of control on her emotions would break and then she would be a mess. It was not something she wished for him to witness. Not anymore.

She took a deep breath, meeting his eyes and was a bit shocked to see tears in them as well.  Drew was never big on tears. He was the type to suffer silently. She looked away with a heavy heart and continued with her explanation.

“Then I found out I was pregnant with  Izzy .” Her lips twitched when she remembered the day she sat in her mother’s bathroom, staring at the two blue lines on the pregnancy test in her hand. “And suddenly I had something to fight for again. And I thought that even if you weren’t there at least I still had a part of you with me.”

She saw the stunned look on his face and decided she needed to explain more on that. “Don’t get me wrong  Drew . I still loved you back then, stupidly so in fact. I was so in love with you that I decided that any memory of you, any piece of you I had left, I would still cherish. Even if you didn’t feel the same anymore.” He opened his mouth to speak but shut it quickly, pursing his lips as he contemplated her words. She decided she would continue when he didn’t break his silence.

“I filed for divorce at the end of the first term of the pregnancy. But then my over thinking struck, and you know how I am when I’m alone with my mind.” He did.  _ Of course, he did. _ Their divorce was the result after all. “I kept thinking I couldn’t do it. How could I raise a child without her father? How would she grow up in this world with only me? I was never the best role model.”

She started to bite her lip, and when he saw her beginning to  struggle, he leaned forward and settled a hand on top of her clenched hands on her lap. Y/N thought of pulling away, but with all this emotional talk old weaknesses resurfaced. So, she let him comfort him as her story resumed.

“When I gave birth to  Izzy, I didn’t want to hold her. I barely even wanted to look at her.” She looked back at him, their eyes connecting and this time she didn’t look away. “I was so scared and so sad and I felt too much of everything. I didn’t want to hold her because I was so  afraid I would drop her or hurt her and that was so terrible of me I know.”

“What happened?” He asked softly, and she could only smile sadly at his effort.

“Postpartum depression.” She heard his breath hitch, and his eyes searched hers quickly, his hand squeezing hers, giving a message she could not understand. “I had gone into labor a few weeks early. The day I went into labor— the day I went into labor was the day I received the news that you signed the divorce papers.”

His eyes bulged at that revelation. He had caused this to happen to her. Caused her to hurt so much. It seemed that even when he didn’t intend to, he was still hurting her.

_ And in that moment, he hated himself more than ever. _

He couldn’t say anything. What else did he have to say after that?  So, he settled for listening, still squeezing her hand. If he hurt her, she never said. She never did before. Old habits die hard.

“It took a while before I could hold  Izzy in my arms. Almost 3 months. That day, Mom had to go out to do the groceries and we were left alone.  Izzy woke up because of a thunderstorm and she just started crying so much and I panicked because Mom wasn’t home.” She felt herself beginning to smile as that particular memory returned to her. “I looked over at the crib and she just cried and cried, and I don’t know what came over me but I picked her up and suddenly I was crying too. I never even noticed that she had stopped crying as I cradled her to my chest. She just stared up at me, her crying mess of a mother. I gave Mom a shock when she got home.”

He waited for her to speak, but it seemed that her story had finished. But he needed to know more.

“Why did you file for divorce?” He asked, feeling himself tremble for fear of her answer. “We could have worked it out… I—I could have tried. We could have talked.”

Y/N looked up at him with eyes so sad, reflecting his own. “Drew we were young, and I was too stupid, and everything happened so fast. When I had enough of feeling worthless and unloved I— I needed to get out.” She sighed, looking away from him once more. “And so, I packed my bags, I left… And  _ you never came after me. _ ”

Drew stared at her, his mouth opening and closing again, and again. “Y—You wanted me to come after you?”  _ Stupid  _ _ Drew _ _ , _ he thought to himself.  _ Stupid  _ _ Drew _ _ and your stupid  _ _ stupid _ _ pride! _

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Silence ensued. He was tempted to let it last but he needed to know one more thing.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, his voice low and rough with tears. “I— Izzy—She— Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

The moment of comfort passed. He watched helplessly as Y/N’s eyes hardened and let her pull her hand away.

“And what? Go back into a loveless marriage? Raise her in a broken home? What else could I have done  Drew ?” She demanded, standing up and making her way over to the window, staring out so she didn’t have to look at him. “I thought about it for years and I did what I felt was best. I didn’t want to raise her in a house with no love. She wouldn’t be able to call it a home.”

**_ “You’re wrong!” _ **

She hadn’t even noticed that he had strode over to her, until he was whirling her around to face him and clasping his hands on her upper arms. “ Drew let go of me!” She shouted, enraged that he had the audacity to tell her she was wrong when  _ he _ was the one being a jackass!

“No!” He said fiercely, glaring down at her and pulling her closer to his chest. “Never again! You’ve finished talking now let me say my piece.” She clammed up, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“I was an asshole. The biggest ass in the universe, I know! I should have been there for you but instead I was selfish and thought of myself, thinking that you would always just be there. Selfishly I forgot about your feelings too, And I know I don’t deserve forgiveness nor did I ever deserve your love.” He shook her slightly, forcing her to look at him even if it was with a glare. “But Y/N, never  _ once _ in our entire relationship did, I ever stop being in love with you. Never once did that ever cross my mind!” He watched as her eyes widened at his declaration. “Fuck Y/N I never stopped loving you at all!  **_ I’m still in love with you! _ ** ”

And now she was the one gaping like a fish out of water. With her too stunned to speak or move, this allowed  Drew to wrap his arms around her, pressing his cheek against the top of her head.

“And if you’d let me,” She heard him shudder out, settling a hand on the back of her head to cradle it against his chest. “I want to make it up to you and  Izzy . I don’t care if it takes until my death to fulfill it but I want to make it up to you both. I want to show you the love I never showed back then. If you’d let me.”

_ Please let me, _ He prayed hugging her closer to him.

And almost as if the universe heard him, he felt a hand grip onto the front of his shirt as Y/N nodded against his chest, and in the quietest voice answered his silent prayer.

**_ “Okay.” _ **


	3. I was housed by your warmth, thus transformed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m home.”

_“Hey.”_

_He remembered a time when their mornings were filled with laughter, chatter, happiness. But now here he sat with her in silence, the sound of utensils scraping against ceramic the only sound filling the room._

_He waited for her to look up from her breakfast, feeling his lips twitch when she did, chopsticks still in her mouth and her eyes bleary. He continued staring at her, taking note that she had lost weight again._

_The dark bruises underneath her eyes seemed more prominent which made him frown. He leant forward and placed a hand on her pale cheek, surprised to find how cold she was to his touch. “Are you sick?”_

_She shook her head, leaning away from him and his touch. He quickly hid away his startled hurt, but internally lamented over how she shied away from his touch. She never did before. He let his hand fall back onto the table. Letting the silence take over as they returned to their morning meal._

_“I get off work early today.” She nodded at his words, never looking up at him much to his displeasure. “I’ll come home early tonight.”_

_She paused in her actions, slowly lowering her fork. When she turned her eyes to him, his heart began to hurt when he saw the ill-concealed hope that lit her eyes, no matter how small that light was._

_He had not noticed they had dulled down these past few months but now they were starting to grow as bright as the day they had first met. In that little corner of the diner no one seemed to approach._

_He made a promise to himself and silently to her, to make her eyes light up more in the future._

_“Let’s go out to dinner tonight.” He watched as her lips slowly raised into a smile and was hit with emotion, realizing how much he had missed it. She rarely smiled these days, he remembered._

_But now she was smiling once more. Because of such a simple thing he said._

_He felt warm throughout the day, just remembering that smile of hers. His wife._

_When he came home early that afternoon, her smile was wider and her eyes were brighter. Her cheeks were flushed and he was reminded of what had drawn him to her that day in the diner ._

_The memories were what had moved him to make love to her that night._

_But back in the present, he moved to embrace her, marveling at how their bodies seemed to relax simultaneously at the contact._

_“I’m home.” He murmured in her ear, dropping a quick kiss onto her shoulder before resting his chin on it._

_“Welcome home.” Was her answering whisper._

_He held her a bit tighter, probably enough that it was a bit hard to breathe. But he never did hear her protest._

* * *

Explaining to Izzy that her Mama’s friend was actually her long lost father was the easiest part. 

The girl had opened her arms to Drew with such innocence and unbridled affection that it had reduced him to tears when she had allowed him to pull her into his arms for a much-needed hug. 

“I’ve always wanted a Papa!” His little girl had said, cheek pressed against his shoulders. “And now you’re here so we can be a family now!” 

Their daughter was an intelligent little girl. It made him proud yet sad, knowing that he missed how she had grown to become one. But now he had the rest of his life to make it up to her and continue to watch her life.

* * *

 _Explaining it to the ones closest to their hearts was harder._

His family, while welcoming Izzy whole-heartedly had been wary of Y/N, and understandably so. Y/N could only sigh and smile weakly when they first visited Drew in Tampa to meet his daughter, trying her hardest to ignore the heated glares her once father-in-law sent her way and the concealed scathing remarks his sister had made. 

But after a few weeks of this he had sat them down, telling them what had really happened and how it wasn’t entirely Y/N’s fault as he had a large part in it too. The anger had lessened after that, but it was still there. Softened only when Izzy was present. 

Surprisingly, his brother was the most understanding. His brother did his best to diverge their Da’s and sister’s attentions back to Izzy when it was leaning back towards Y/N a little too much. She had thrown him a grateful look to which he had winked back in return. 

She bore it like a warrior. A mother who would do anything for her child, would take any rock thrown her way if this was how she could give her Izzy a better future with a family that loved her. Drew’s family needed time and maybe eventually they’d learn to trust her again. But she could never fault them if they never did. 

Y/N’s family was a bit easier to deal with. Only her mother was left, after all. But now she had Izzy, and quite possibly Drew, or he hoped he was considered. 

Y/N’s mother was understanding, so much so that Drew found himself perpetually ashamed in her presence. Even knowing how much he had hurt her only daughter, the one she had raised and supported on her own when both her husband and son perished in an accident early in Y/N’s life. Yet despite his sins, she welcomed him like he was her own son. As if the past 5 years had never happened. It made him want to cry because he felt he did not deserve it. 

“What happened between you and my daughter is something that is only for the two of you.” She told him one day, when he had confessed to her of his guilt. “It is not a parent’s place to interfere into a married couple’s affairs.” 

“But I still am sorry.” He spoke quietly, watching from the park bench they were at as Izzy ran around chasing the birds away, Y/N running after her. Both of them were laughing, looking so picture perfect. 

“You make the girls happy.” At his incredulous look, she could only laugh, patting his knee gently. “You make my daughter happy too even if she doesn’t show it. I don’t think she’s ever looked at anyone the way she’s looked at you and I believe she never will. Have hope son. Love takes time after all.” 

**Love.** Was there still such a thing for them? 

He watched them from afar, smiling when Y/N caught their daughter in their arms and twirled around, she caught his eyes and offered him a small but warm smile. 

As long as he had hope, then maybe, _just maybe_ there was a chance. 

* * *

Izzy adored her adopted uncles and aunts. And they all adored her, spoiling the little girl like she was their own, much to her mother’s exasperation. 

But when they had all met her for the first time, when Y/N has brought Izzy backstage during a PPV, she immediately ran up to Cesaro, screaming “Uncle Tony!” As she leapt into his arms. 

“What.” Drew deadpanned, eyes darting from the flustered Swiss man, to Y/N, and then to Izzy. 

Cesaro gave his friend a sheepish smile, scratching at his cheek. “Uh- How do I start to explain?” 

Y/N rolled her eyes, taking pity on him as he cowered under the death glare, placed a placating hand on Drew’s bicep. “We live near him and he saw me one day when I was coming home from picking up Izzy from daycare.” 

Drew’s glare never faltered. “And you didn’t think to tell me earlier?” He demanded, frown growing deeper as the other boys stood nervously around them. 

“I _did_ want to tell you alright?” Cesaro protested, frowning as he smoothed down Izzy’s hair as she cuddled up to him. “But Y/N begged me not to tell you and I was threatened with castration as well.” 

Y/N sighed, as she pulled him away so Izzy could interact with her uncles and aunts who were now cooing over her, taking turns carrying her. 

“I forgot to tell you about that.” She muttered, sitting down in one of the restaurant’s booths. “I’m _sorry._ It’s my fault.” 

His heavy gaze fell on her face, taking in her rosy cheeks and how she bit her lip, a nervous habit he had tried and failed to help stop. Then his gaze turned to the hand on his arm, smirking when she pulled away quickly. 

“Please _do_ keep touching me.” He teased, moving to sit beside her, effectively trapping her into the booth. “We have 5 years to make up for after all.” 

She huffed, turning away to look at the menu, blush still in place. He was satisfied that he still had an effect on her, just as she seemed to have an effect on him, bringing out his more playful side. 

They were progressing too slow for his taste, but he could wait if it meant that the end game was them together once again. 

* * *

On the days that Y/N had late night meetings in the law firm she was working for, when he was home and taking some time off from house shows, he picked up their daughter from school and drove her home to the house in Orlando. He’d wait there for Y/N to come home, and sometimes when it was too late to drive back to Tampa, she’d offer him the guest room. 

“Izzy will be happy to see you in the morning.” She told him as she fitted the queen-sized bed with new sheets. “She’s at that age where she questions everything and she keeps asking me why you don’t live with us.” 

He moved behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her so her back was against his chest. “I’d be happy to see her in the morning. Both of you in fact.” He murmured into her ear, grinning when he felt her shiver. Pressing a kiss to the back of her head, he let her go and sat down on the bed. “Goodnight Y/N.” 

“Goodnight.” She had replied, feeling flustered as she rushed back to her own room. 

That was the first time he had stayed the night, but not the last. His overnight visits became more frequent and Y/N would always say it was for Izzy, but they both knew that wasn’t entirely true. Drew wasn’t complaining. He preferred the warmth of this home to the cold loneliness of the empty bachelor pad that waited for him. 

Gradually, some of his things made their way into what Izzy now dubbed as his room. Clothes began filling the drawers and cabinets. His toiletries found their way in the bathroom beside Y/N’s and Izzy’s. 

“You should just move in.” She said one day as she set a bowl of cereal in front Izzy, pressing a kiss on top of her messy morning hair. “Izzy would like that, wouldn’t you sweetheart?” 

“Yeah!” Their daughter grinned, waving her cereal spoon in the air excitedly. “Izzy wants to see Papa every day when he’s home!” 

Drew chuckled, nodding as he raised a hand to poke his daughter’s cheek. “If it makes Izzy happy them it makes Papa happy too.” 

“Mama too.” He felt a hand settle on his head, combing his hair down. “Now I remember where Izzy got her hair from.” 

He stared up at her, not being able to help the heat spreading across his face at the sudden affection. When she pulled away, satisfied that she had his hair finally tamed, she gave him a smile reminiscent of their younger years. His eyes never left her form as she went back to the stove to prepare their own breakfast. This was all so domestic. He could definitely get used to this. 

That morning after dropping Izzy off in school he called up his estate agent about selling off his place. 

He was moving in. 

* * *

Days, weeks, months passed. Things weren’t always easy or happy, especially between them. 

There were days when old hurts would be dug up, there would be arguments. Sometimes they would be reduced to shouting at each other, those fights always ended in one or both of them in tears. But never did they fight in front of their daughter, that was not something they wanted her to witness. 

Everything else in their lives seemed to be fixed except for themselves. 

They had come to a standstill. They weren’t friends, they were always past that line. Being married to each other once did that. They weren’t lovers, it wasn’t time for that yet, there were still wounds left in their beings that remained to be healed and even then, there would be scars. 

As the seasons changed, so had they. They weren’t the same as they once were and it took time to learn about each other again. 

One night after a particularly grueling and long day at work for Y/N, she stepped into the house to be greeted by a frowning Drew, arms crossed over his chest. She was not in the mood to get into any fight. All she wanted was to hug her daughter and fall into bed. 

“Who was that?” He jerked his chin towards the door. “Who dropped you off?” 

“He was a co-worker.” She sighed, balancing on one foot as she moved to take off her shoes. “Our boss made us do overtime and you know my car is being fixed so he offered to drop me off. Where’s Izzy?” 

“She’s staying over at your mom’s house. Mom picked her up earlier.” He blocked her way as she moved to walk past him. “Are you sure you were at work? It’s what? Nearing midnight?” 

She tilted her head up to look at him, narrowing her eyes. “What are you implying?” 

“Was that really a co-worker?” He was almost sneering, and she hated that. “Or was it a boyfriend?” 

“You’re an asshole!” She hissed, pushing against his chest as she stalked towards the kitchen pulling open the fridge and grabbing a bottle of wine that she drank on occasion. This day was such an occasion. As she moved to pour some into a glass, a hand wrapped around her wrist. “What do you want now?” She sighed, glaring up at Drew who was looming over her, frown still in place. 

“Tell me the truth.” He said through gritted teeth. “Was that a boyfriend? A date? A _fuck_ _buddy_?” He ignored the indignant gasp that left her lips, his words fueled by frustration and jealousy. Frustration at the stagnant state of their relationship. Blind jealousy towards a man he did not even know. “Is that why you’re so late? You didn’t even get to see Izzy off!” 

Words were always a powerful weapon of his. It could heal wounds and it could make them. For how many times he healed he would break. This was how they had always been before. His tongue was sharp in his anger. But she was not having this. 

She shook off his hand, slamming the bottle of wine down onto the table. “What the hell is your problem?!” She shouted, having had enough of his words. “I told you I had to do overtime! How dare you imply that-” 

“You’ve been unfaithful?” 

She could only gape at his audacity, the anger boiling quickly in her veins and spilling over. Anger to match his. “We’re not even together!” Her voice grew in volume, and now she was glad Izzy wasn’t around for this. “I cannot be unfaithful if we’re not together! It’s none even any of your business even if I was screwing around, which I’m not!” 

“The hell it’s not!” He shouted back, standing toe to toe with her. “We agreed, you agreed that we would give us a try again and I’ve tried and tried but you’re not. Is it because of your new boyfriend?!” 

“I don’t have a boyfriend!” She stomped her foot, shoving him away from her. “I haven’t been with anyone else but you!” 

And with that the dam inside her chest broke. The stress of the day, coupled with the anger of the night. She crumpled to the floor at his feet, sobbing into her hands. “It’s _always_ been you, you idiot.” She cried, trying to speak between the sobs that racked her very being. “You were my first and my last but for _fuck’s_ sake Drew, after everything that’s happened between us I—” She looked up at him, dissolving into tears once more. 

Drew stared down at her, paralyzed with shock as he took in her words. Shaking his head once he had processed her words, he lowered himself to kneel in front of her, taking her hands into his to get a better look at her face. He felt his heart break when she refused to look at him, knowing he had done this to her. He had hurt her again. 

He should have known better. He shouldn’t have let his jealousy blind him. 

“I’m an idiot.” He muttered, sitting down on the floor in a way that he was facing her but she sat between his legs, ensuring that she wouldn’t run away so they could talk. 

“You really are.” He heard her say with a watery giggle. “The biggest idiot I’ve ever known.” 

“Okay stop rubbing it in now.” He grumbled playfully, dropping her hands so he could cup her face between his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears. “I don’t-” He took a deep breath, lowering his eyes as he searched for the words to say. How to make this right. 

She knew what he was doing, but she wanted to hear him say his piece. She needed to hear him say it. 

“I don’t deserve you.” He drew out shakily, raising his eyes to stare into hers. “You’re beautiful, you’re wonderful, and I keep breaking you. But I love you so much and I know that’s not an excuse. I want to be with you but I’m afraid of hurting you again. I never want to hurt you but that’s all I seem to do.” He gulped away the lump that seemed to form in his throat. “What if one day you decide that this won’t really work out anymore. That we’re far too broken?” 

He pressed his forehead to hers, squeezing his eyes shut causing tears to drip onto his cheeks. “You and Izzy are my _world_.” He whispered; his voice thick with tears. “I don’t want to lose the both of you. I don’t want to lose you. Not again. I wouldn’t survive it this time.” 

“I don’t think I would survive too.” She rasped, the tears continuing to fall from both of them. “I love you; I’ve always loved you but I’m scared too. I don’t want to be broken. I don’t want us to be broken anymore.” Their hands had somehow found themselves laced together, and she squeezed his hands, waiting for him to squeeze back. “It’s going to take us time but we’re _never_ going to be the same Drew. Too much has happened between us for that. But we can be _better_.” 

This was a second chance. For both of them. They would either take the leap together or not at all. 

“ **_I love you_ **.” He spoke so softly she had to strain herself to hear it. “More than my own life, I love you. I want this, I want you forever and I will never stop wanting you or needing you. But I will wait for you. For however long it will take I’ll wait.” 

_For the many times that he would break, he learned to heal._

This was him standing on the edge, waiting to make the jump. Waiting for her so they could take the leap together. And there she stood with two options: She could not take the fall and stay safe, without him. Her heart would remain intact, but her whole being never whole. Or she could take his hand and jump with him, risk being broken once more for a small chance at love and happiness and being whole. 

_Her decision was made._

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, after so many years. She kissed him into stunned silence, allowing herself to smile once she pulled back. He returned her smile, laughing as he moved to kiss her once more, a kiss that left them both breathless and wanting. 

Happiness was in the horizon. 

_She had decided to jump._

* * *

_“So, you guys are really back together again?”_

_“Yes, Sheamus we are.”_

_“Well that’s just_ **_great!_ ** _Now I owe Reigns money!” He grumbled, missing the way Drew cracked his knuckles. “You couldn’t have stayed broken up for one more year?”_

_Drew_ _promptly smacked the back of his head._

_“Hey ow! What the heck_ _Drew_ _!” He whined, clutching onto the back of his head._

_“Uncle Sheamy is an idiot!” Izzy giggled, clapping her hands. “Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”_

_“What have you been teaching your daughter?!” Y/N gasped, whirling around to face_ _Drew_ _who immediately raised his hands in defense._

_“I didn’t! I swear I didn’t!”_

_“Idiot like what Mama calls Papa!”_

_“………Pfft.”_

_“Shut up.”_

* * *

_“Are you sure about this son?”_ **_Are you sure about her?_ **

_“Yes. Nothing you say will change my mind.”_ **_I love her. Forever and always._ ** _“She and_ _Izzy_ _are my world. I’m sorry if you cannot accept it.”_

_“If it makes you happy, I can learn to accept it.”_ **_But we will never trust her again._ **

_“Thank you, Da.”_ **_I know, I don’t like it but she understands. It’s okay she says._ **

* * *

_“You know you were always stubborn.” Her mom laughed, the both of them watching as Drew chased Izzy around the playground. “You must have taken it from me.”_

_“I probably did.”_

_“Cheeky child.” Her mother slapped her leg, causing her to yelp. “Did you know, before you were born your father and I broke up? I don’t even remember what it was about anymore, it seems like lifetime ago.”_

_“……….”_

_“I’m glad you took this second chance dear. We lost your father and brother too soon but I’m sure they would approve because you seem happier than you’ve ever been before.” Her mother sighed, patting her leg. “It brings be comfort to know that I’m leaving you in safe hands.”_

_“…………”_

_“Don’t cry silly. Smile and be happy.”_

* * *

_“So…”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“You know how we signed those divorce papers years ago?”_

_“I don’t like talking about it but yes. Why?”_

_“Okay so I talked to my co-worker about it and it turns out there was some kind of misprint or a mistake of some kind which didn’t make it valid.”_

_“What?”_

_“So yeah technically our divorce wasn’t valid which pisses me off because goddamn it I went through early labor because of that!”_

_“Wait so we’re still married?”_

_“Pretty much, yeah.”_

_“_ _Oh,_ _thank god does that mean I don’t have to propose anymore? The others have been badgering me to do it for weeks and I couldn’t ever seem to find the courage.”_

_“……_ _….._ _You were going to propose to me?”_

_“Well yeah. When I said I wanted forever with you I meant it in every sense of the word. Even on paper.”_

_“………..”_

_“Please don’t cry. I didn’t want to make you cry! I’m sorry!”_

_“These are happy tears you idiot! I’m happy!”_

_“Oh! That’s good…”_

_“Yeah…”_

_“So how about renewing our vows?”_

_“I could go with that. Let’s just not have one as big as the first one, can we? All those cameras were disconcerting.”_

_“Comes with dating a champion, love.”_

_“_ _Oh_ _what I do for love…”_

_“But we definitely are not having an open bar this time.”_

_“Didn’t Sheamus get drunk and kept sobbing all night about how one of his boys have grown up? That he was supposed to get married first?”_

_“Ah memories.” He sighed wistfully. “I think Stu still has a video of that for blackmail.”_

_“I wonder if we can get a copy.”_

_“Remind me to ask him later.”_

* * *

_“Mama?”_

_“Yes sweetheart?”_

_“I want a brother. David in school has 3 siblings and I want one too!”_

_“Uh well sweetie… Uh mama is-”_

_“Mama I want_ _oneeeeeee_ _.”_

_“Mama will talk to Papa about it. Now eat your breakfast.”_

* * *

_“_ _So_ _Izzy talked to me about something interesting when I drove her to school today.”_

_“Oh?”_

_“Yeah, she said that you would talk to me about giving her siblings?”_

_She let out a nervous laugh, stepping back nervously as he started walking towards her. “Did I say that? That child I swear…”_

_“I think we should.” He smirked when she fell onto the bed. “She’ll need siblings. And I want more mini-_ _me’s_ _of us running around.”_

_“Pregnancy is not an easy thing Drew McIntyre!”_

_“I’ll be with you this time. Through everything.”_

_“I…I…”_

_“How about we practice for now? You used to love it when we_ **_practiced_ ** _.”_

_“Just shut up and make love to me already.”_

_“Your bossiness turns me on.”_

_“Drew McIntyre I swear to g-”_

_“No more talking.” He whispered against her lips. “Just…_ ** _feel.”_**

* * *

_“I hate you!” She shouted at him, leaning over the toilet bowl as she heaved once more. “We are never having sex again! This will be the last baby we have!”_

_“I don’t even care that you’re mad. We’re having a baby!” He laughed, holding up the pregnancy test in his hands. “A baby!”_

* * *

_“Drew! Drew!”_

_“Heath?”_

_“Why weren’t you answering your calls? Your wife had to call me!”_

_“I was in warming up in the ring! I must’ve left my phone in the locker room. Why what happened?”_

_“Y/N is in the hospital!”_

_“What?”_

_“Her water broke like an hour ago when she was shopping with Nattie and the Bellas for baby stuff!”_

**_“What?!”_ **

**_“THE BABY IS COMING WE HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSP- DANG IT DREW NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO FAINT!”_ **

* * *

_“Do I get to name her this time?”_

_“No! I carried her for nine months like hell will I let you name her!”_

_“But you named_ _Izzy_ _!” He whined. “I want to name this one! You owe me!”_

_“You can name the next one then! You owe me too!”_

_“Oh? I thought you said no more sex?”_

_“Like that has ever stopped you?”_

_“Can’t help it that my wife is hot.”_

_“Shut up I want a son too okay!”_

_“So, if the next one is a girl, do we keep trying till we get a son?”_

_“Don’t jinx it.”_

* * *

_“Hey.”_

_She rolled over in bed, facing him and smiling at his sleep ridden expression. It had been years since they had taken the jump and things were going wonderfully. There were still days_ _where_ _they fought but in the end they stayed together._

_“I just remembered.” He murmured, tracing his fingers over the lines of her face._

_“What did you remember?”_

_“When I first told you, I loved you.” He moved closer to her, his lips ghosting over hers. “We were in the airport that day. I was about to leave for the European tour, we had just gone public with our relationship a few days before.”_

_She could feel her eyes water as he recited the memory. She recalled a night a lifetime ago when she had asked him this. That memory was blurry now, replaced with the happy moments of today._

_“I remember looking into your face, how hard you tried not to cry. I wasn’t going to be gone for a long time but I remember that it would feel like forever._ _So,_ _I told you I loved you. I still do and I always will.”_

_He pressed his lips to her forehead, closing his eyes and relished in the feeling of having her close to him. There they laid, bathed in the light of the morning that streamed through the slits between the window blinds._

_“Then I remember coming home to you.” He sighed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears. “I remember thinking that I wanted to always come home to you.”_

_“And you always will now.” She replied, brushing away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore.”_

_As the seasons changed and melded into one another so did they. What was there and what could be was faced together and in everything they did to make up for those lost years was painted with love._

_For two people who had broken each other learned to fix their broken shards. They were not perfect, their edges where chipped and they were cracked. But nonetheless they held together. Stronger than before._

_Maybe they were foolish, maybe they were hopeless romantics. And that was okay._

_Because in the end they were whole._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!!


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